The Girl Kept in a Box
by Elkpelt the Wolf-Chalk
Summary: {"Whoever reads this letter… Please save my children. I believe you will be able to accept them for all that they will be, and all that they can be..."} "...How pathetic. I've been the protected one, for far, far longer than I thought… Protected and loved." [Forte-centric fic based on details from her engagement event, has Lest/Forte and some major spoilers for RF4]


**Author's Note:** I fell hard into the Rune Factory 4 fandom, y'see :U and I noticed there wasn't a whole lot of fanfiction written either, so me being the content thirsty loser that I am decided to waste nearly two months of my life right now to write almost 20k words worth of story literally only one other person will probably ever read. Its about all the stuff the game mentions about Forte and it has spoilers for a lot of RF4's story and her eventual Engagement Event, same with her brother Kiel. I don't know when I will finish this because literally the story isn't half way done, it'll also have Lest/Forte since a lot of her events eventually connect to the fact she fell in love and helped her learn an important lesson her dad instilled in her. Anyway, even if you don't like or know what RF4 is, please lemme know what you think of this preview so far. I don't know when I'll post another part mostly because my goal was to post it entirely as a one-shot but if you guys really like this I can post the parts as chapters instead.

also yes, I gave Forte and Kiel's parents names, and no, they aren't canon. I just couldn't handle writing he and she when the next few parts are in the dad's POV for so long.

* * *

_{When you read this letter, my son and daughter will be suffering…}_

It had been barely twenty four hours and already Arius could see decades of change flash before his eyes. Exhaustion haunted him like a ghost as he leaned back in his chair with the bottle of whiskey gripped at it's long neck. From across the table he felt the pin pricks of concern staring at him, Bado leaning his elbows on the table. There wasn't much the blacksmith could do for him besides simply be there, it was somewhat reassuring despite the bitter taste in his mouth. He wished it was simply the booze doing that instead of how profound loneliness flavored his tongue. He reclined his head back, it seemed pain wasn't something the alcohol sterilized like some bloody wound, even if the ache was just as awful. Knights could fight battles but he couldn't stand the grief that burned in his chest. He took another swig of the bottle, he needed to forget—

—Maci was still on the bed, white as the sheets and weakly closing her hands over his as they fought off their trembling. His strength was weakness, gazing upon her as he blinked away the tears. His children needed him strong, and so did she. There weren't many next times left for his wife, he sat at her bedside with nary a word on his lips. There wasn't anything else to say, he knew this was coming. Arius just grasped her hands tighter in his, lifting them to his heart.

He was sure Maci could feel what heartbreak was through her limp on his chest. He'd never spoken many words but she never minded that. Her face was pained and the words rattled in her chest as whispers. _"Please, Arius… Do this last thing for me..."_

He clenched his eyes tightly, breathing deeply._ "Alright, I… I will, love."_

It was a bright moonlit night when she left them, not a cloud was in the sky. It seemed almost like the world was mocking them. They'd taken an angel up to the skies and the universe didn't shed a single tear for it. They'd all said their goodbyes.

His daughter hadn't cried, silent like death with vacant blue eyes staring ahead. Kiel was inconsolable, the boy clung to him in handfuls by his shirt until sadness put him to silence. There was a sniffle every so often, a shiver that he felt through his embrace. With his back against the door and his young son cradled in his arms, he fought off the fierce trembles that threatened to overtake him. Arius couldn't protect anyone, his blade was useless. He had trained a lifetime and more to serve a lord and this kingdom, drew his blade only to save those precious to him. His arms were like armor around the still form of Kiel, but that wasn't enough.

Forte crouched beside Kiel, gently rousing her brother by brushing his hair back from his gray eyes._ "I'll take care of you, Kiel."_ She sounded wiser than her ten years, there was barely a tremor to her voice but he knew there was pain, one didn't lose a mother without feeling anything. If being a knight meant Forte wouldn't give up… he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, adjusted the boy in his arms gently and gazed up towards the sky—

—Bado was supporting his weight, he didn't remember slipping from the table onto the floor. There he was though, crouched down low with the whiskey bottle pressed close to his mouth. He tasted salt, his eyes felt damp. The bottle was pulled from his fingers and with a sigh, his friend spoke. "Arius…"

"I don't know what I'm gonna do, Bado," he slurred pathetically, eyes staring up at the ceiling like the answer would be there. "I need help."

"C'mon, buddy. Let's get you put to bed, you've had enough." Bado swung his arm over his broad shoulder, swaying on his feet from his own drinking. He led him to his bed, pushing the grieving knight on the mattress.

His back leaned against the wall, he groaned pitifully at the throb between his temples that ached with his heart. No, he thought through the haze of alcohol that brandished his mind. Never enough… Not sleep nor the booze was enough to fight off the night terrors this evening wrought him with. He tried ignoring the cool press of metal against his throat, another painful reminder. "Bado, Maci wanted Forte to be Kiel's knight," he told his friend. "I talked to her about it, before… before she asked Forte."

Bado stared at him silently, looking sad. "Well… why not?"

Arius lifted his hands to his face, pressing them heavily against his weary eyelids. "Kiel… he's a son, you know how they are. They aren't going to want Forte," he said.

Bado didn't answer right away, just stood up to pull out a chair he had sitting in the room. He flopped heavily down, resting his head on his arms as they folded against the back. "Forte's talented, you can make the capital see that."

"You don't get it, Bado!" Arius hadn't meant to shout, springing up to glare daggers at his friend. Bado looked stunned a moment despite his drunken stupor. "Maci begged Forte to be Kiel's knight! Right there on her deathbed! She just chained those two up in a way they'll never entangle from!"

His wife's words haunted him. _"Must Kiel be your successor? Forte… this is her dream, love."_

_"You know there's nothing I can do to sway them… Forte isn't a boy."_

_"They can't deny her natural skill. Please… don't let her give this up. Forte needs her hope, it's only a matter of time."_

He took in a breath, trying to relax himself. "I didn't want Forte to give up her dream, but… this… Bado, this'll haunt my children. It's not going to just go away!" He was never an emotional man but in this moment he never knew he could feel like the world was shattering to pieces all around him. Arius swallowed thickly, shame burned in his gut as he felt ire towards Maci for doing this, for cursing their children in such a way. They were branded now. He could still see her face, whiter than snow and body thin and worn… "I can't do anything for them, Forte needs this—"

—He hadn't put up a fight on electing Forte his heir, even if on the inside he'd been hurting at what he did. This wasn't anything to do with chivalry or that Forte wasn't a son, it ran deeper with thorny vines that sunk deeper than the roots of weeds. He had overheard the desperate pleads of his wife to their daughter, looked through the slither of the door to see their silhouettes from behind the clinic's folding screen. Maci gripped Forte's hands in hers tightly, he saw Forte bow her head and her shoulders trembled even if all they were was shadow.

He'd clenched his fists tightly, fighting off the painful urge to let out a beastral cry of misery. All he could do was listen. The next day, he announced to Forte she would succeed him in knighthood. Kiel had looked up at him, _"Dad, does this mean you're training Forte?"_

He gave him a small nod before looking at Forte, she slowly reclined her head up to stare at him. Her awe was quiet, hope burning bright in her blue eyes. It'd taken all his composure not to beg her to tell him no, that her mind was not set on this.

_"If Forte is up to the task, yes."_

She lifted a fist, pressing it against her heart in a proud gesture, one used among the military. _"I won't let you down, Father! I'll protect everything!"_

_**"**__**I'll protect everything—!"**_

Bado frowned. Arius saw he wanted to say something but the blacksmith had no idea what words of comfort he could even give. Instead, he sat up so he wasn't slumped into the mattress against the wall. "Bado, I got… I got a favor I need out of you."

"Anything, Arius. You can count on me," he replied, keeping the words soft.

His temples ached something fierce and the traces of vomit in his mouth reminded him why he never indulged in so much alcohol all at once. Bado was nice enough to leave him a jug of water and bucket, he made good use out of both. He wasn't sober just yet but he felt his mind was clear enough to rip some paper out of the nearby drawer to scribble his thoughts down with an inkwell pen.

Bado didn't interrupt him, merely stared at his broad back as Arius wrote. The pen flowed aggressively, his knuckles white from how tightly he held it between his clenched fingers. He dipped his head, parts of the paper were dotted in moisture. Arius touched his cheek, looking dumbly when his fingers came back wet. Staring at the letter, he read it over, making sure he didn't forget a single detail. Once… twice… thrice… it became an obsession, imploring that it would be everything it needed to be. He straightened his shoulders, standing up to present Bado with the folded envelope.

"I want you to hold onto this," Arius told Bado, dropping his arm once his friend had taken the letter into his hands. "Make sure… make sure you give it to the person Forte and Kiel get close to… someday."

"Why not now?" Bado asked, perplexed as he glanced from the envelope to Arius. The knight shook his head. "If the problem can be fixed—"

"It's not going to help them now," he murmured, voice tight as he cut Bado off. "Just… please Bado, do this one thing for me."

He nodded his head, looking solemn. "I will, I promise."

Like a puppet with its strings cut, Arius returned to the bed and flopped down, exhausted as he rested his arms on his knees. Whatever fight he had left in him drained out, he didn't bother to sop it back up. Numbly, he reached into his shirt, pulling out the small key that hung from a chain around his neck. Arius traced the contours of the cool metal, feeling the floral patterns embroidered into its design.

Arius lowered his head into his hands, back curved down as he just let himself wallow in his suffering. Falling asleep was sickeningly easy despite the stark red hues of a sun rising over the hillside outside the window, soaking everything in dawn's warm light. The terrors came no matter the morning, and their eyes were wide and blue with fear and uncertainty. The sword was broken in her hands and through the darkness she pulled with her a boy, running but never getting anywhere…

_{That's because of a curse my wife bound them with and because I was too weak and foolish to free them of it…}_


End file.
